Change is Different
by ShadowStalker of Cybertron
Summary: "One will never understand the concept of differences, until they find themselves in a similar situation." . . . . Story based off of 2007 movie.
1. Chapter 1

**Change is Different**

Hi my name is: Aspen

**Yes, I know I've been uploading and deleting a lot of stories as of late, but, I've been trying to work through school, and life's annoying problems and quite frankly I'm burnt out and ready to just jump on a plane and head off to some nice hot, beach and resort where no one or thing could find me. So ya, I do weird stupid things when I'm burnt out like this. **

**I have to say that this story is in first person, I've been wanting to try this view for a while and test my limits. I'm sorry if it's weird, but sometimes experiments can come out different than you intended. For the most part it will be in my OC's point of view, but on occasions I might actually switch it up to another character. **

**Without further ado, please Enjoy this little concoction I've written up for you all. **

* * *

-One will never understand the concept of differences until they find themselves in a similar situation.- It was a constant quote that my senior year literature teacher always told our class. He never stated the author, but for a long time, I never could of cared less about the statement, that was, until I found myself in a situation that rekindled my memory and sent me for the scariest, most amazing ride of my life. Somehow, I never thought a group of turtles could change my life, funny how things change on you isn't it. . .

Let me introduce myself, my name is Aspen Hill, a college drop out who fell into the highlife of parties, among other things. For years I cared nothing about those around me, even my own self-esteem was tossed out the window at the end of my first quarter of college and my family, well my connection was lost long ago with them even before my regretful mistakes.

Enough about my sob story, now onto how I met my saviors, or as I called them, my green angels. It was a dark night, nothing unusual since most nights I was too drunk to even realize that the moon was out. The air was chilled and my skirt was jerking in the wind, no jacket, not even decent shoes to keep my feet warm. I'd been on a club streak lately, doing nothing but partying with people I barely understood, let along knew. As I made my way back to my apartment, I was thrashed against a nearby alleyway wall, hard enough to knock me unconscious for a good half a minute. As I slipped back into reality, I felt cold metal against my head and soon learned I was being held at gunpoint. Figures dressed in black searched through my belongings as I was too weak and sick feeling to even stop them.

When my strength was found, I pushed myself into a standing position allowing the wall to be my support, forgetting the gun was even near my head.

"Shtop." My words were slurred, a night of too much was finally slowing me down. "That's my purse." The gun pressed harder to my head and I shoved it away. "Pick on someone your own size." The hard object pressed even harder at my head, and due to all my thoughts being clouded, I pushed the culprit away, weakly at that. "I said stop, those are my belongings."

"Ya." A hand collided with my shoulder and shoved me back up against the wall. With the strength the man had, I couldn't free myself and felt that if he pushed any harder my shoulder would be dislocated. "What ya gonna do 'bout it."

"Slap ya, that's what." He laughed and turned to face his comrades.

"Hear that, she's gonna slap me." Everyone joined in chorus with his laughter, but it soon died down. "Look, princess, we can either do this the hard way, or the easy way. . . your choice."

"What's the easy way?"

"We search through your stuff, get what we want, and get out."

"Hard way?" A cringed a little, I knew this gang a little too well, having run in with other members of their group recently, barely getting out with my life.

"Well, we wouldn't want to have to shove a bullet through that pretty head of yours, now would we?" I shook my head and he loosened his grip on me. "That's what I thought. . . " He looked back to the people on the ground. "We almost done here?"

"Almost boss, this girls got money stuffed in every pocket." He smirked back at me and patted my face, a little to hard for my liking.

"Atta girl." He walked back to his group and began helping along with the process. Minutes passed as I watched the group. I had, had a backpack along with me too and they weren't taking any chances that I had something special in there as well. As I watched, clanging came for the back of the alley and all heads snapped to see what made the noise, only there was nothing. As if on cue, everyone went back to their jobs.

"Stealing from a woman, you've reached a new low, Tyler, haven't you?" I snapped my head to where the voice was emanating from, but again, there was nothing and no one to be seen.

"Show yourself." Tyler raised up his weapon and faced it to the back alleyway. "I'm not afraid." The voice chuckled deeply.

"You should be." Something whipped out from the shadows and drug one of the culprits into its clutches. "If I were you, I'd run."

"We ain't runnin' for nothin'. . . Show Yourself." I could see the man literally shaking in his shoes, he was scared, but he would never admit it.

"I don't have to show myself, you know who I am."

"I-I do?" His voice hitched.

"We used to be best buds." A darkened figure walked out and the gun fell from Tyler's hand. I myself felt a little fear since the man looked to freaky to be human, but his demeanor alone could scare off anything that saw him. He looked different, and I hated different.

"NightWatcher. . . Y-you're back? . . B-b."

"I took a break, Ty, but I began to think to myself, crime never sleeps, so why should the I? . . Agree?" The man and his followers ran off in the other direction, leaving me alone with the vigilante that had heard much about up until a couple years ago. "You ok?"

"F-fine." Adrenaline pumped through me, replacing the haziness the alcohol's affects. "I- Please don't hurt me." He walked closer, but stepped back when he saw me flinch.

"I ain't gonna hurt you." I inched away from him, but still made my way to my purse and what remained of its contents. "Look, I saw that you needed help, so I came."

"Thank you." He felt the back of my head and seethed in pain when I touched where I had been harshly slammed against the wall. "Very much. . . I can fair from here."

"You don't look so good."

"I'm fine." I stood up with my belongings and felt myself rock side to side, feeling the back of my head again I saw blood and starred at it for a recollection of seconds, trying to figure out what was on my hands. "I'm so perfectly-" I passed out clutching my stuff, the only thing I remember seeing before darkness encased me was the freakishly looking man picking me up in his arms. I tried to fight him, but weakness overcame me and I, unwillingly allowed him to carry me off to wherever he was going.

* * *

I slowly allowed my eyes to open, the dense light above me was making my eyes burn from over-exposure. I groaned and twisted on the furniture I laid on, it was over fluffed, I actually felt that I was laying on clouds, and for the seconds I was out of reality, I allowed myself to think that.

Something moved in the distance of my sight, but I could clearly make out that it was green and purple. The object came closer to me and I tried to move away, but my muscles were weak and tired from the night before, forbidding me to move an inch.

"It's ok, I'm not gonna hurt you. . . I just want to help you." I shut my eyes and leaned me head back with a groan, wanting nothing more than to wake up in my apartment with my stupid alarm beeping at me to wake up or I'll be late for work. When I re-opened my eyes, my vision became clearer within moments, and what I saw before me only made my vocals lurch out a loud ear-piercing scream. The creature that was before me jumped back at my sudden outburst, but oddly enough came closer and tried to calm me. "I'm not going to hurt you. . . I'm here to help."

"S-stay away from me!" I backed up against the arm of the couch and shoved something in front of me, thinking it was a nearby pillow, but closer examination shot down the thought. "A pizza box!?"

"Someone say pizza!?" My head snapped to a humanoid turtle like the one before me, and once again I let out a scream.

"What the heck is going on here! If this is a prank, I'm going to kill whoever set it up!" The creature before me stood up with a few medical supplies in hand.

"I swear, if Raph brings another freaked out human home-."

"Donatello." All eyes, even mine turned to a large humanoid rat that stood near an open doorway. "Let us get an explanation from your brother before we begin accusations."

"Yes, Sensei." I watched as all walked over to an enclosed area with two more of the turtles that had just awaken. My mind was racing with fear and thoughts that they wanted to kill me. As they all disappeared into the room, I moved myself into a standing position on the cold cemented floor and started to make my way to the exit. My head was bursting with pain and I felt where I had been hit only to notice that bandage was wrapped around my head to help heal the spot. My feet clambered over each other and I stumbled only to feel my right shoulder snap out of place. A gasped in pain at the sudden move, but kept moving towards where I believe the exit would be, but as I got there, it was closed and there was nothing to open it, I was trapped.

With my good arm, I banged against the brick wall and kicked it as well.

"Come one, move!" Feet walked towards me and talking erupted from the living area before I heard the feet move closer. I saw the green of the turtles coming around the corner and I flipped around, bracing myself for what I believed was to come. "I swear, whatever I did I'm sorry, whoever I have to pay, I'll get the money!" I threw my hands up before me and squeezed my eyes shut. "Just please don't kill me."

"We ain't gonna hurt ya." I recognized the voice from the other night and peeked through my hands to see that all the creatures were before me, still, curious and most importantly, harmless. I slowly lowered my arms and starred all five back myself, all of us assessing if we were friend or foe, or at least I was, both they and I knew that I was too weak to do anything harmful.

"Now that you've calmed down, can I tend to the reset of your wounds?" I looked to one that had on a purple bandana, and without thought nodded. They moved apart so I could walk through and I could feel their eyes watching my every step, making sure I wasn't going to make a spontaneous run for it.

* * *

When the turtle known as Donny finished with my wounds, I thanked him. It was the first time in a long time that someone actually showed sincerity to me, in fact, I've never known anyone as kind as them. Both my head and my shoulder were feeling better, and any minor cuts and scrapes I had were merely nothing to be seen. I was told why I was brought back to the lair, and after some consideration, I began to understand why, but none the less, I was still hostile towards the creatures.

I eventually learned their names, and one by one I began to actually memorize them. Mikey was the most enthusiastic of the group, trying to get me to eat and play video games with him as if I was someone who had lived there for weeks. Leonardo was the leader, and I could clearly tell, he was strong, independent, stern at times, but overall very kind. Raphael was the hothead of the group, it truly hadn't taken long for me to figure it out, due to him not caring what his elder brother Leonardo said to him and stomping off like a child when he couldn't get his way. Donatello, he was by far the most kind of the group and most educated. He clearly knew his medical and scientific knowledge, but at times he could be the most annoying, going off and talking of scientific things that most wouldn't understand.

As Donny began another one of his long talks, Leo walked up to me and sat on a facing chair.

"You'll get used to it."

"Are you implying that I'm staying here longer than I intend."

"Your wounds were minor for the most part, but I want to watch over you and make sure there's nothing serious going on internally." Both of us looked to Donny and he smiled. "Just thought you'd like to know."

"Sure." I replied unenthusiastically. "About, how long do I have to stay."

"Well, considering the time that most head injuries take to-"

"Skip to the end." He sighed and stood up.

"One to two months, depending on how well you are stable both mentally and physically."

"One to Two Months! . . I can't stay here that long, I have a life to live!"

"Partying and working at a second rate burger joint is life?"

"How did you know that?" I took a hostile step towards the smartest turtle though not gaining the step back or even flinch I was hoping for.

"You're a stranger in our living quarters, I wanted to make sure that was nothing that would lead others to know about us. . . Considering the life you're living as of now, we don't even have to worry about someone missing you." He took his medical supplies and walked off hastily and I crossed my arms.

"Rude." Leonardo came towards me with his arms folded in a light manner.

"We're trying to help, Aspen, the least you could do is show some respect towards that."

"Since when am I the one having to show respect, I never asked to be saved or taken here. . . I was fine on my own. . . For all I know, you're the one's I should be worried about, not the other way around." I stomped off towards the room they had given me growling under my breath. . . The heat of the situation had died down and now I was beginning to feel the affects of everything finally sink in. I was scared, I had to admit that much, but I was mad, at everything, myself, being robbed, those turtles, it was all different, it was all to. . . Nice.

* * *

**I recently watched the 2007 movie and this idea popped into my head. Please tell me what you think, your reviews, favorites and follows are greatly appreciated. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**I don't want to**

* * *

"We don't even have to worry about someone missing you." I shot up in my makeshift bed in cold sweat. Hot tears were streaming down my face and I wiped them away with the back of my hand. Nightmares had been plaguing me lately and now I had one more thing to add to them. I sighed deeply and swung my legs off the side of the bed. My hair was in a bunch due to my head thrashing around on the now flattened pillow. The bed was damp to the touch, but my cares about anything at the moment were lit dimly. "Stupid. . . Worthless." The words swam around in my mind and I had to shove back another set of unwanted tears.

A hand knocked against the open bedroom door and I looked up to see Donatello, sincerity plastered over his face like a mask.

"I came to tell you that breakfast is ready."

"I'm not hungry."

"You should eat, you had a rough night last night. . . You'll pass out from hunger."

"Didn't you hear me? I don't need food." I snapped shooting up into a standing position, which was a terrible idea since I began to feel dizzy.

"I know this is different for you, and we're. . . Different, but there's no need for disrespect. . . Raph could of left you out there to be found by others who would of done worse to you than steal your money. . ." Donny's voice raised during his words. When he noticed that I was inching away from him he quieted down. "Look, we want to help, that may be hard for you to comprehend, but we're not the bad guys here." I rubbed my arm and tucked my chin to my chest.

"I know." My voice came out as a pitched whisper. "I'll be down in a bit." He walked off just like the night before and I watched his shadow disappear away from my sight.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet. I could feel their eyes watching me, carefully analyzing me to make sure I wouldn't do anything rash or stupid. I was used to it though, disappointed eyes always starred at me, watched for my next dumb move, waiting to pounce at anything I did wrong. I took a bite of the eggs that Michelangelo had cooked up and surprisingly I found them better than any others I had tasted before. When I finished with my plate I looked up to see that the rest were barely halfway through, their mouths slightly gaped open.

"What?" I asked harshly, shooting daggers at each who looked my way. I looked at the time and calculated from when I got the food and finished to find that I had scarfed down the large plate in under two minutes. "Can't a girl eat in peace." I shoved my chair away from the table and walked off back to my room. Upon reaching the second level I stopped at hearing the four speaking to each other.

"Friend or foe?" The voice sounded like Raph's, but I wasn't completely sure.

"It could go either way, Raph, we have to get to know her more." Definitely Leo, his voice screamed leader.

"I'm not sure she even knows what she is to herself." I leaned in closer at what Donny said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't think she knows if she's friend or foe in her own life. . . She's fighting a serious battle in her personal life."

"Are you sayin' I brought a loon to our lair!?" I growled at what Raph said, but still listened, the conversation was getting quite interesting.

"No, I'm saying she's lost, scared. . . she seems fearful of change."

"Who isn't." Mikey. "I know I'd freak if we began living topside."

"All of us would, Mikey. . . But I'm saying she's fiercely scared that even a simple change in her personal life would send her into fits." Unconsciously as Donatello had began to speak I had clenched my hands around the railing, trying to shove back hot tears that left an itchy trail as they traveled down my face. "I don't know for sure, but she's hurt real bad." My breathing hitched and I heard all voices silence. Not wanting the four to know that I had been eaves dropping, I ran back to my room and shut the door.

The voices came back, but they were closer, telling me that they had traveled to where I was residing.

"Mikey, give her space."

"Leo, she needs cheering up."

"She needs time. . . If what Don says is true, we can't force her to change, who knowns how she'll act."

"I guess you're right."

"Come on, the kitchen needs cleaning." I shut my eyes and listened as the walked off, leaving me alone in my privacy. Time passed and I didn't move, I wanted peace and quiet, I thought that if I had just enough I could forget where I was and imagine myself back at my apartment, dingy as it was. I occasionally heard the passing feet, but paid no mind to them, I wanted to be lost in another world and I would get there.

* * *

My breathing had slowed over the time I sat there, so much that when those seconds of reality hit me I wondered if I had even been breathing the past minutes or so. I had, but the thought of not breathing would overtake me at times, and I would jerk, snapping me away from my silent thoughts. I had anxiety, most didn't know, only family and close friends from the past. It was something I wanted to keep a dark secret. It came and went, the severity depended on the situation I was in, most things that brought on my anxiety I tried to stay away from, but it proved hard. The first time I had gone to a nightclub I thought that I was going to pass out from all that was going on around I hadn't and soon my problem became the past and no more did late night partying bother me. Of course it didn't mean I was safe from my anxiety, but it was something I could very well cross off my list.

"Aspen?" My thoughts disappeared and I jumped at the sudden disruption of my peace. "Aspen, a-are you ok?" The voice belonged to Donny. His shadow cast under my door and I looked at it, watched as it shifted as Donatello did. I fell into another trance, watching, thinking, focusing. "Aspen." I jumped again and the bed squeaked underneath me, complaining that I fell back down onto it too hard.

"What!?" I snapped again, I don't know why I snap so hard, I guess it's just a natural habit that I acquired during my childhood years.

"I wanted to make sure you're alright, you've been up here for hours."

"I'm fine, Donatello." I kept my answers short and sweet, not wanting to engage into a full on conversation.

"Michelangelo is preparing dinner if you would like to join us." He paused and I could hear slight hesitation in his voice. "I understand you might not want to eat, but it might be best."

"Whatever." I looked away at the windowless wall that faced adjacent from the door. I wanted a moon to look at, something to shine down on me and tell me that everything was going to be just fine. "I'm not hungry." My finger traced lines in the oversized bedsheet as I spoke.

"Well, alright. . . Just come down when you are." I watched as his shadow walked off and left only the blank light that I had been starring at for the past hours. Sighing, I crawled over to the top of my bed and pulled the scrambled blankets over my body. In all truth, my stomach was growling at me to get food, but I paid little attention to it, the noise and pain would soon pass and if anything, I'd have a large enough appetite by morning to eat breakfast.

As predicted, my stomach did stop complaining and soon my eyes fell into a relaxed state and I slowly let myself fall into a deep state of sleep.

* * *

Donatello's P.O.V.

"Well, alright. . . Just come down when you are." I walked down to the kitchen to smell the usual aroma of Mikey's famous pizza being created. I was used to it, even though it got disgusting since we ate it so much, but it was food and I've learned over time to put away complaining and just eat. After all, we eat to live not live to eat, at least that's what Master Splinter had told us when we were younger to keep us eating small portions. I walked into the kitchen and sat down, when I looked up, all eyes were on me.

"She's not coming?" Leo asked, but he already knew the answer.

"No, she's not hungry, again." Raph folded his arms onto the table and looked at me with a raised brow-ridge and said,

"Didn't you hear that this morning? You know, before she scarfed down her food in under a minute."

"Actually it was two minutes and seventeen seconds."

"You timed her?"

"Yes. . . I timed her." I said looking at Mikey who was bringing over the steaming pizza. "I wanted to calculate how hungry she was, that way I could see if she was malnourished."

"Du-ude, you so have the hots for her." I scoffed at my younger brothers words.

"I do not have a crush on that girl, she's rude and irrational. . . I just want to make sure she's not unhealthy."

"Say's the turtle who made googily eyes at her when Raph carried her in. . . Mwah, Mwah, Mwah." I grabbed my nearby bo staff and smacked Michelangelo over the head with it, happily shutting him up.

"I was interested."

"Ya, in her!" Mikey high-fived Raph's hand and I could feel my face heating up with anger. I shot up from the table and spoke.

"In who she was! . And if she had any injuries, like the bleeding one on her head." I never truly got angry, but really, Mikey could be a pain in the shell at times and at those moments I could swear that I would snap. "If you need me, I'll be in my lab doing a few tests." I shoved my chair back towards the table and walked off.

"Hey, what about the pizza."

"I'm not hungry." I stomped off towards my lab and shut the doors behind me. If anything, some time alone would calm me down and help me to asses some. . . Thoughts I was having.

* * *

**So I did a turtle P.O.V, it was actually quite fun. Please tell me what you think, if Donatello was on character or not though, feedback is greatly appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Who are you?**

* * *

I woke up to the sound of a woman talking downstairs. It seemed odd and for the time that I was hiding in the absence of reality, I thought that it was only a dream. As time went on though, her voice didn't leave and I knew that it couldn't be a dream, it was all becoming too realistic.

I moved off the bed like an unsophisticated blob and creaked open the door only to hear the voice louder and clearer.

I couldn't help listening in as she spoke, by the sounds of it all, her and another were having a mild fight. "You brought a stranger to your lair?"

"Don't be harsh, April, you were a stranger too when we brought you here." My ears were still groggy so I couldn't tell whom the voice belonged to.

"Well. . Ya, but you partially knew me, Raph brought her down on the account of a few words."

"She passed out from a slight concussion, what else could he do?"

"Maybe take her to a nearby hospital."

"And have him be noticed publicly, her best choice of both survival and safety was coming here." Choice, since when did I have a choice? I thought to myself reeling away from the conversation for a few seconds.

"You could of brought her to the apartment Casey and I are living in, we would of welcomed her."

"I doubt that." Another voice said, joining in on the two.

"Raph, not now." The first voice said.

"Look, April, this girl. . . She don't look like those ones from the magazines that you read about when girls are rescued."

"Raph, that's disrespectful."

"I'm tellin' the truth, Leo, and sometimes it hurts." Leonardo leaned towards his brother and whispered something into his hear, when he was done the red banded turtle looked up to me and rolled his eyes before walking away.

"Look, Leo. . . I understand your concern, your brothers smarts in medical stuff. No offense, but she should be in the hands of the hospital, somewhere, where people can use specified equipment to look and asses any serious injuries."

"Don looked over her vitals and everything, April, she's fine except for a few minor wounds and a bump on her head." I remembered the bandage that was wrapped around my head and felt it. The back of my head still stung when I touched it, but otherwise it seemed fine. "She's perfectly fine here, if she wants I can ask her about staying in your apartment, but otherwise, we're keeping down here."

"Don't be irrational, Leonardo, she's human, I had my father to live with."

"I really don't want to fight about this, April. . . Master Splinter trusts me to make the right choice, and I hope you do too."

"I do, Leo. . . You know I do, but I mean, how old is she."

"Eighteen at the least." I looked to see Donatello walking into the conversation. "At least that's what I figured from the scans I took.

"Her parents must be worried sick about her." Donny handed her a small plastic card and a squeezed the handle on my door. "False credentials say she's twenty-two. . . Why would she do this?"

"Don't know yet, but I'm sure there's a story behind it all."

"Ya, maybe she wanted to party at twenty-one and over clubs."

"Maybe, but I'm thinking there's more to this story than meets the eye." Donny looked up at me and we locked eyes, he knew I was hiding something, he didn't know what, but by the look that he held, I knew he would stop at nothing to figure it out. I slowly and quietly shut the door and leaned against it, living here would not be as easy as I hoped for.

I sighed and walked to the darkened wall that stood opposite of me, nothing hung there, just old cobwebs from spiders who abandoned their home long ago. The light above me rocked back and forth and I watched as the light lit up the empty wall and then disappeared. Taking an interest in what I saw those few seconds the wall shone, I climbed onto my bed and wobbly positioned the light to face the wall. When I jumped down I nodded at what I saw, the wall was finely lit up and more than definitely needed something to fill it up. A mural perhaps.

I lightly brushed my hand over the cement wall and watched as my shadow arm elongated as it moved away from the main light source. I could paint something there, after all it was a hobby that I had taken up years ago to settle my mind onto different things when I was stressed, all I needed was paint, but there was one problem. I didn't have any and I was pretty sure the turtles wouldn't have any either.

Sitting onto the bed I looked at the wall and tried to imagine a mural there, something beautiful, extravagant, something that told a story of my feelings, after all, a picture held a thousand words.

Someone knocked on my door and I turned my head to see the girl known as April peeking her head through the crack. She had a smile on her face, while I had a frown on mine.

"Hi, I'm April." She said as she fully made her way in.

"Hi." I got up to face her and walked a little ways. "I'm the stranger." Her smile turned into a frown and she lightly bobbed her head.

"You heard that?"

"All of it, look, I know I may not look or seem like the best, but-." I stopped mid-sentence and she moved her head forwards asking me to moved forward with my words. "I have a very good reason as to why."

"Oh, what reason would that be?" She asked, setting her hands onto her hips.

"My reason, it's one only privileged people get to know." She nodded with a dissociative look on her face. "Let's start over. . . My names, Aspen." My voice was rigid and distant, but I knew that if I was to see more of her, I might as well make peace with her.

"I know, the guys told me."

"I'm sure. . . They probably told you everything."

"Pretty much, and that you haven't been out since the accident. . . I was going to go topside for a while if you would like to join me. I could get you some new sets of clothing and anything else you needed."

"Considering that all my money was stolen from me, I guess." I walked off with April, I was laying back, not knowing who she fully was, was a fear of mine and I didn't want to befriend someone who would one day stab me in the back.

* * *

Since it was night, most of the shops were closed, but April and I were lucky enough to find a few thrift shops before they shut for the night. I got an array of clothing that came out more than affordable, and with the rest of the budget April had given me, I got a few paints to work with.

The air was damp and the night was dark, the stars didn't shine due to street lights lighting our every step, but the moon was out and it was a sight to behold. It was raised above us as if it was royalty, awaiting its subjects to come out and admire its beauty. I gawked, I hadn't been sober enough in the past few weeks to even realize the moon. April smiled at me and I tucked away the smile I had so long ago hidden, making her frown as well. They all knew that I was hiding something, but with that, they also knew that I wasn't just going to hand over the information like it was a lost and found puppy.

A young boy rode past us on a bike and we split apart. I yelled at him to watch where he was going, but he only looked back for a second before vanishing around a buildings corner. I shrugged at April and she at me. Even though I was used to the ridiculous habits of most people around here, it always still caught me off guard.

A breeze brushed over me and I pushed back a shiver. April handed me her jacket but I refused.

"I know it's none of my business, but what is a seventeen year old girl doing alone in New York with a fake I.D?" She asked slipping her coat back on. I looked at her for a second and opened my mouth to speak, but soon closed it.

"No reason." I replied after careful thought.

"I've been in reporting far too long to know that there's 'no reason'."

"I just. . . Don't want to talk about it, my life is locked and sealed, private eyes only."

"I'm guessing private means only you." I nodded and looked down at the cans of paint I had in my arms, they may of been half empty each, but they still weighed a ton all together. "Look, I know you may not like me, and at first I wasn't getting a great impression of you. . . But I'm here to help and listen if you ever need anyone."

"Whatever." I turned my face away from her and looked at the many squished together buildings that we were passing. They all looked the same, but each had their own unique touch to them, just like the one I had lived in many years before. "Stupid, ungrateful." I murmured under my breath.

"What?" I snapped my head up and locked eyes with the woman before me. Blood rushed to my cheeks but it quickly went away.

"N-nothing." She cocked her head and raised a brow at me. "I'm just cold, we best be getting back."

"Ya, we best." The time it took us to get back to the lair seemed to drag on, but once we got there I immediately headed up to the room with the bags of clothing and paint. I could hear muffled talking downstairs, I knew what it was about, but was too afraid to open the door to listen.

"So dumb." I shook my head and let out a deep breath. "Inconsiderate. . . Liar." My head jerked to one side and I held it in place as I sat down onto the bed. "Idiot. . . Stop, just stop!" I held my head with both hands, trying to force the voices out of my head. "Cheat, Two-face." Tears boiled in my eyes, but I forced them to stay there. "No, I'm better than that." My knees curled up to my chest in an instant reaction. "You're all lying, I'm not that." My breathing became hard and I had to slow them down to get any oxygen. "You are and always will be Different!" I felt it coming on and I screamed, not in pain, but in terror. It was a curse that I had and something that I thought had left me long ago.

* * *

Donatello's P.O.V.

We were all talking downstairs. We being April, Leo and I. She had come back telling us that Aspen had acted a little weird and said a couple of words she couldn't quite make out before they came back. All of us were confused, that we had to say at the least, we've had Aspen around for no more than forty-eight hours and each minute she keeps getting curiouser and curiouser to me, like a locked box that is surrounded by a slew of unmatched keys.

"And you're sure one of the words was stupid?" Leo asked and our eyes turned to April who only nodded.

"Positive, it was like she was saying it to herself, but." April paused trying to find the right word. "Unwillingly."

I intervened and said: "A past memory I presume."

"Could be, Donny."

"It's the only rational explanation." Just as our conversation was getting heated a scream came from upstairs. Our eyes scanned around and just as we suspected Raph and Mikey were playing a video game and Master Splinter was meditating, so the only source could of been Aspen. We moved to the living area and motioned for the other two to follow, annoyed as they were, having to pause right in the middle of a fight, they followed. "I hope she ok." Michelangelo chuckled behind me and I shot him a glare. "Not now, Mikey, this is serious." He straightened up, but I could clearly tell is was his sarcasm striking in. "Aspen?" I asked, knocking on her door. No answer came.

"Think she died."

"Aren't we just the optimist today, Raph." Raphael shrugged at Leo's response, but I only paid attention to what my eyes allowed me to see. Leo moved in front of me and knocked a little bit louder than I had. "Aspen, are you alright, we heard you scream."

"Really guys." April moved all of us out of the way and opened the door. The room was pitch black and there was no sign that Aspen was there. "Aspen, are you here?" We heard sobbing in the background and immediately our eyes moved to the girl who was huddled in the darkest corner she could find, even still trying to shove herself back more.

"Go away." With the tone that laced her voice, we could all tell she was hostile.

"What happened?"

"I said leave!" Her voice raised, but with the tears giving her a breaking voice it sounded more as a cry for help. "Go! Just leave me alone! Forever!"

"You know we can't do that." She looked up with bleary eyes, trying to give off a glare.

"I don't even know you." Her head sunk back into her folded arms as April made her way over. The elder woman tried to coax Aspen out of her state, but each time she got near, the younger girl would swat her away.

"Aspen, can you tell us what happened?" I finally asked, moving towards her myself. She folded herself up even more and tucked her head into her knees.

"Don't look at me, I'm hideous."

"You look fine to me." I unconsciously glared at Mikey and then back at Aspen who raised her head a little. I knelt next to her and wiped a tear away, "Not much different than before." Her eyes diverted from mine, but they soon travelled back. "We want to help you, Aspen, but you have to tell us what happened here."

"You're being kind."

"Yes." Question raised in my voice, wondering why she stated that. As I moved to wipe off another tear she smacked my hand away with brute force and shot up.

"Just LEAVE ME ALONE! . . All of you!" She burst out of the room and all of us watched as she retreated into the depths of the lair that we used as storage, all the while leaving a small trail of dropped tears.

"Anyone want to tell me what that was about?" Raphael asked, his face twisted in confusion. "Seriously, no one knows?" Everyone walked out of the room but me, I wanted to look around and make sure she hadn't harmed herself on anything in the room. I flipped on the light and looked at it before scanning the ground. Nothing seemed out of sorts and I began to walk back to the door, but as I moved to flip out the light, something caught the corner of my eye. I looked back at the thing and bent down to pick it up. Twisting the object in my hand I furrowed my brow ridges as only one thought came to me.

"Is this. . . Dead skin?"

* * *

**Well, well, well, what has Donatello found himself now? Let's hope this brings him closer to who Aspen really is. **

**Thanks to those who have read, favorited, followed and reviewed so far, your comments are encouraging and great to read after/before a long day of work and school. :-) Tell me what you think in the box below, have a good day/night. **


	4. Chapter 4

Change is Different

**I need the Truth**

* * *

I ran until I hit a dead end. I was encased in darkness allowing me to only see my hands when I brought them mere inches from my face. In the distant background, I could hear something dripping, and by the smell of the area, I knew it wasn't water. My feet padded against the cemented ground, echoing down the corridor until it faded into nothing.

My head twisted as far as it could each way, looking for anything my eyes could make out as a moveable object, or anything I could sit on. I moved my arms before me as if they were the antennas on a bug and felt around, but all I could feel was frozen air and cemented wall. That was until I felt a door. My hand padded around until it felt the steel doorknob, with hasty movement I twisted the knob and felt as the door creaked open, albeit stubbornly.

The air was musty and cold inside, I could feel my lungs freezing with every breath I took, but it didn't stop me. I needed time alone, and with that, I needed to be away from April and the turtles, especially Donatello. I knew that he was the so called medic of the group, but it felt as if he was pestering me, and quite frankly, I would of gone back home if I wanted that again.

My foot rammed against a box and I whispered unruly words under my breath, a habit from time I tried to break too many times to count. I moved back and my heel bumped into another box, tripping me and forcing my hand to smack against a nearby wall. I pushed myself up the wall and my fingers pressed a switch upwards, turning on a dying florescent light. It buzzed with what life it had left, showing the bugs that were unfortunate enough to fly inside and kill themselves.

"What is this place." My eyes filed over all the contents of the room. My feet slowly moved towards a random set of boxes, and I pried open one of the tops only to gasp and stumble back. Inside was a weapon, one specifically made for those who were willing to pay. "Where? . ." My mind raced with questions and each one was specifically related to my haunted past. I picked up the bow and watched as it quivered in my hand. My breathing hitched as I slowly turned it around and lifted the fabric to see the hidden insignia, showing who it truly belonged to. Tears brimmed in my eyes as memories flooded me, I couldn't stop them and I just sat there on my knees, grasping the bow so tightly that I could feel the wood splintering between my hands. When enough time had passed, I stood up and walked out of the room.

* * *

"What is this!?" My voice raised above the noise that blanketed the main living room where the turtles resided. All heads, even Master Splinters, as he was preparing his food in the kitchen.

"What is what?" Leonardo asked, turning his head from the television. I threw down the bow and it rammed onto the ground with a harsh crack, making all jump in their places. "Oh that?" His face seemed to bright up at the sight of the long forgotten treasure. "That's a yumi, a weapon used by ninjas."

"NO! Where did you get it?"

"What's with the sudden interest?" He saw the livid glint in my eye and stood up. "We got it as a souvenir from a fight with the Purple Dragons."

"Hey. . . I remember that night, that was the weirdest fight ever with the PD." Raph said peeking his head around the kitchen wall. "Never seen themwith ninja weapons before, never again either."

"I agree with, Leo, Aspen." Donny said, walking from behind a dark hallway. "Why the sudden interest?" I shook my head and picked up the yumi.

"Does there have to be a reason?" I asked, clearly setting up my defenses.

"Well. . . No, but it would be nice."

"Well nice isn't in my blood." I flipped on my heal and walked up to my room with the weapon in hand. I'd had enough for the night and now only wanted rest, but the truth was, was that rest wasn't going to be my ally that night, nor again for a long time.

I laid on the bed, tossing and turning, feeling as if I was lying on a bed of nails. My mind couldn't slow down and I knew that this was just the beginning. I now knew where they got it from, but to me, there were so many unanswered questions. Questions I couldn't ask without them digging more into my past.

I sighed and reluctantly moved off the bed, my stomach was persistently growling at me for food since I denied it all day and I couldn't push it off anymore. I cracked open my door and peaked my head around to see that most lights were out except for the dim florescent one that hung over the main lounge area. Everyone, by what I could see, was in bed and I took the time to sneak out of my room. Since the place was made of cement I didn't have to worry about any of the floor creaking on me.

After minutes of slow walking and looking over my shoulder, I finally made it into the kitchen. It still smelled of pizza, making my stomach let out an unearthly growl. I clutched it and looked around to make sure no one had heard the sound. When moments passed with nothing but the buzzing of the light, I let out a relived sigh and opened the fridge to see the left over pizza. I looked back and forth before grabbing a slice and stuffing it in my mouth with a satisfied smile.

"Little late to be eating." I swallowed the half chewed piece and stiffened as it made its way down to my stomach. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." When the pain faded away I looked to the open doorway to see Donatello and couldn't help but roll my eyes. As if he hadn't seen me, he walked over and sat across from me. "Couldn't sleep?"

"What's with the questions, do have some kind of radar thing on me telling you where I am!?" He sat up at my sudden outburst and I could see his mouth moving, trying to find an answer.

"N-no. . . I couldn't sleep either." He said wavering his hands before him. "I just saw the light on down here and wanted to see who was up and if you were ok."

"Well I am, so you don't have to worry about me." I snapped, glaring daggers at him, but he seemed to see right through me. I felt a headache suddenly hit me and I rubbed my temples with a groan. Donny reached towards me and I smacked him away. "You've helped enough." He starred at me bewildered as I stood up from my seat, holding my head with one hand. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he got up himself and slowly followed behind me. "I don't need your help, alright. . I managed on my own long enough to know how to take care of a simple migraine."

"It could be caused from the hit on your head. . . Maybe I should take a few scans." He said, walking closer as I moved farther away.

"I don't need ANY of your help, now leave me alone." I stammered back to the stairwell. I knew what was happening, but what I didn't know was why. I moved up the stair, tripping every few steps and almost smacking face first into the cement a few times. Donny, not taking my 'I don't need help' act, grabbed my free hand and helped me up the stairs. I spoke rashly to him a few times, but he only looked away and kept at his job. When we reached the top he helped me to my room, but when we reached it I walked in and shut the door on him.

I listened as he stood in the same spot for a matter of minutes before he walked off back to his room. I then darted my eyes to my hands that looked different than they had for so many years. A tear fell from my eye and landed on the changing skin. When the pain ceased, I curled my knees up to my chest and buried my head into my folded arms as tears streamed down my face. It had been so long since I changed like this, and for a long time I thought that it would never happen again, but here I sat, looking like the freak that I was made into before I even was brought into this world.

* * *

Donatello's P.O.V

I walked away from Aspen's room, clearly enough she wanted to be left alone and I could do nothing but give her silence. She was confusing to me, and I wanted to know why, I'm a scientist and when things get confusing I can't help but pick at the problem until it gives me answers. For my first act, I was going to visit where she had gone before coming back with the yumi.

For a while I thought that I wouldn't find what I was looking for, due to the complete darkness. As I kept walking though, a dim light caught my attention. My feet pounded against the cement as I ran towards the crack of light. When I arrived I stopped just before and listened only to hear that someone else was in the room. Grabbing for my bo staff I found that it wasn't there so I balled my fists and shoved open the door with the side of my body to see Leonardo rummaging through the open boxes. His head turned to me and I calmed down.

"Couldn't sleep either?" He asked, turning back to what he was doing.

"Ya, I wanted to find what upset, Aspen. . . You?"

"Same." He picked up a Japanese weapon and set it atop a pile of similar weapons. "I don't understand, what could of angered her about that bow? I mean, there are so many different weapons in here and she chose the yumi."

"I don't know, but I have a feeling that we're not going to get any information from her by just asking."

"Are you saying that we should go behind her back?"

"If it helps us to gain information about her, then yes, we should go behind her back."

"I may barely know her, but won't she." He moved his hands around before doing a movement of something blowing up. "Explode?"

"Maybe, maybe not. . . She has something to hide, Leo, and it's not a diary under her bed. . . I have a feelings it's worse."

"But what if we make a mistake and go behind her back and find nothing?" I paused after my brothers words and thought for a moment.

"Then we'll say we tried."

"That's all? . . . Just say we tried." Leo's voice was showing hints of agitation.

"Leo, I know she's hiding something, so our search won't be for nothing. . . We just have to make sure she doesn't find out what we're searching for, understood." I set a hand onto my brothers shoulder and he nodded. I felt like him before we all went off on a mission, although I was hoping that it wasn't going to be as dangerous.

"I understand, Donny." Leonardo and I took a few of the weapons back to my lab and kept them in a secret and secure place where Aspen could never find them. I would have to do some research on them and look over every inch, something about the weapons threw me off and I knew they were hiding something, what? I didn't know, but soon enough I would.

* * *

Secret P.O.V

I walked into the main room, looking up to the man that I both called leader and father. He was tall, bulky, fearless, but feared, even I couldn't fully get over my fear of him. He glared at me as I walked up to his seat and stopped many feet before him.

"We found her apartment." I said, looking only up to his nose.

"And." I gulped.

"She wasn't there." A fist slammed against the chair that he sat against and I noticeably jumped back. "We also found her chips" I opened my palm to show two sleek silver metal chips and again the fist pounded against the chair.

"She is much smarter than I had thought."

"Father. ." I heard him growl and I lowered my eyes. "A member from the Purple Dragons spoke to me, relaying information that he ravaged from a street gang. . . They say that they attacked her for her money but were chased off when the NightWatcher attacked them."

"He's back? . . I thought he disappeared two years ago?"

"He did, but they say he's come back. . . They also said that one of them saw the vigilante carrying her off into the shadows." His fingers drummed against the chair as he hummed a thought to himself. Silence fell over us all and I diverted my eyes as far away from the man that I could. He cleared his throat and all eyes turned back to him. "What are we going to do?"

"I have a feeling that the NightWatcher is affiliated with those wretched turtles. . . I want them gone and I want her found."

"But she's been missing for four years, fa-sir. . . how will we find her."

"You know her best, Miles, you figure that one out yourself." I was forced out of the room by the awaiting guards, my eyes could barely see behind myself, but as I got glimpses, I could see our leader smirking. He had a plan and I knew that now it was already too far set in motion for it to be stopped. The doors slammed shut behind me and I walked away, if I found her, the odds of this coming out good were as dim as anything else was in this place of horrors. I looked to the ground and watched as my hands flickered green before returning back to normal. I took in a deep and suffocating breath, after moments of just holding it I slowly let it out with a heavy sigh. I knew that this, like all the other schemes my father had come up with, was going to end badly and if it goes his way, also with spilled blood.

* * *

**DUN, DUN, DU-UN! Who are the new characters, and what are they part of? Who is this Miles? *Insert evil laugh here and weird voice* Those are answers for another time. **

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think, anything I could add or change to make it better? I have fun writing but I also have fun implementing some ideas of yours into my stories (****as long as they can fit in to what I'm going for****). Have an Awesome Day/Night my fellow Fans and I shall see you next update! *Bows and walks away***


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